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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/30090858">Saved by Katara</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThePinkTeenager/pseuds/ThePinkTeenager'>ThePinkTeenager</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Avatar: The Last Airbender</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Avatar Zuko (Avatar), Boats and Ships, Chi Blocking, F/M, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Kidnapping, Non-Consensual Drug Use, Rescue, Spiritual Shenanigans, held for ransom</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 21:34:51</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,091</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/30090858</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThePinkTeenager/pseuds/ThePinkTeenager</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Zuko gets drugged and kidnapped. Luckily, his girlfriend can save him.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Katara &amp; Sokka (Avatar), Katara/Zuko (Avatar), Sokka &amp; Zuko (Avatar)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Angst and Hurt/Comfort Prompts</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Saved by Katara</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">



        <li>In response to a prompt by
            Anonymous in the <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/collections/angstandhcprompts">angstandhcprompts</a>
          collection.
        </li>
    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>
  <strong>Prompt:</strong>
</p>
<p>Any character and any relationship! Any rating!</p>
<p>Prompt: Kidnapping (torture, blood, injury, character death accepted but no rape).</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>     The last thing Zuko remembered was being in his bedroom at the palace. </p>
<p>     He didn't know where he was now, but it clearly was not there. </p>
<p>     Zuko was in a metal cell with nothing in it except a slab of concrete. Whoever kidnapped him must be a fool; Zuko could bend concrete. In fact, he could bend anything except blood and metal. He was the Avatar. </p>
<p>     He tried to bend the concrete. It didn't move an inch. He tried again with the same result. Though it wouldn't help him escape, he tried bending his native element: fire. nothing. </p>
<p>     Zuko stared at his empty hand in horror. His kidnappers weren't fools. They knew his bending made him powerful, so they took it away. Zuko had no idea if or when he would get it back. He started to cry. He might never bend again. </p>
<hr/>
<p>     Sokka came into the room. "Katara," he said, "I have bad news." </p>
<p>     Katara turned toward her worried brother. "What is it?" she asked. </p>
<p>     "Zuko's been kidnapped." he said, his face pale. "Someone named Yin Fu is holding him for ransom." </p>
<p>     Like Katara was going to pay that. "Where is he?" she asked. </p>
<p>     "I don't know." </p>
<p>     Neither did Katara. There was only one way she could find him. "Pack your bags." she said. "We're going to the Foggy Swamp." </p>
<hr/>
<p>     Zuko had no idea how long he'd been in the cell. It could have been hours; it could have been weeks. He remembered a guard coming in to feed him at least once, so he must've been here for some time. Considering how woozy he felt, he wouldn't have been surprised if the food was drugged. </p>
<p>     He still couldn't bend. He'd tried every element. It would take some time for his bending to come back. If it ever came back. </p>
<p>     For some reason, he thought of his girlfriend. She was a bender too- a waterbender. They'd met three years ago, before he became Fire Lord. She didn't like him at first, but they grew closer with time. Then, after Zuko broke up with his ex, they started flirting with each other. Before Zuko knew it, he had a girlfriend again. He wished he was with her right now. Instead, he was alone in a cold metal cell. </p>
<hr/>
<p>     The center of the Foggy Swamp was marked by a very large tree. A local man named Huu had figured out how to use the tree to see anything in the world. When Katara met him on her travels, he taught her how to do it. With his help, she should be able to find Zuko. </p>
<p>     "Hello, Katara." said Huu. "What brings you here?" </p>
<p>     "Zuko's been kidnapped." she said frantically. "I need to find him." </p>
<p>     The man was distressed by the news, but quickly calmed down. "Ah," he said, "I see. Come with me." </p>
<p>     Katara and Huu went to the tree while Sokka stayed behind and chatted with the locals. The tree was just as big as Katara remembered it. She put her hand on the bark and closed her eyes, feeling the water inside it. She could probably bend the water, but that's not what she was here to do. </p>
<p>     <em>Zuko</em>, she thought, <em>where are you?</em></p>
<p>     After a moment, Katara saw a man standing in a basement of some sort. He was talking to another man. </p>
<p>     "How's the prisoner?" he asked. </p>
<p>     "Same." said the other man. "Do you think anyone will pay the ransom?" </p>
<p>     "Of course." said the first man. "He's the Avatar <em>and</em> the Fire Lord. Not exactly replacable." </p>
<p>     Katara gasped and disconnected from the tree. "I found him." she said. "Or at least, I found the guy who's keeping him captive." </p>
<p>     "Good." said Huu. "Now go to him." </p>
<hr/>
<p>     Zuko heard something outside; a familiar sound that he did not expect. It was the unmistakable sound of someone waterbending. </p>
<p>     He looked past the cell bars. He saw a flailing water whip, then a young woman. Not just any young woman- his girlfriend. </p>
<p>     "Katara!" he yelled, but it came out scrambled. </p>
<p>     Katara whipped around. "Zuko!" she cried. She used her bending water to cut through the lock. Zuko stumbled out of the cell and into her arms. </p>
<p>     "Are you alright?" she asked. </p>
<p>     Zuko was a bit distracted. It had been so long since he'd been this close to Katara. Her arms around his chest, her face beside his, her scent... he soaked it all in. </p>
<p>     "I can't bend." he mumbled. </p>
<p>     "Oh no." she said. "Let's get out of here, okay? Once we're out, I can take a closer look." </p>
<p>     Zuko nodded. Katara kissed his cheek and led him out of the basement. Zuko must've been unconscious when he was brought there, because he didn't remember any of it. Not that he was very alert right now; the drugs hadn't worn off yet. </p>
<p>     Katara led him outside and onto a small boat. Of course they were taking a boat; she was a waterbender. Sokka, who was already on the boat, looked at Zuko. </p>
<p>     "Jeez, Zuko, you look awful." he said. "What did they do to you?" </p>
<p>     "Drugs and can't bend." Zuko was aware that he was slurring. </p>
<p>     "Sokka, you row the boat." said his sister. "I'll check on Zuko." </p>
<p>     Zuko lay on the seat and let Katara examine him. She healed the various minor injuries he'd gotten when he was kidnapped. The last thing he remembered was her hand stroking his face. </p>
<hr/>
<p>     By the time Zuko woke up, they were almost done with the journey. He was groggy, but seemed otherwise fine. She was lucky his kidnappers hadn't done something worse. </p>
<p>     "How do you feel?" she asked. </p>
<p>     "Tired." he answered. </p>
<p>     Katara smiled. "I thought so." she said. "You slept for a while. Do you remember anything about how you got on this boat?" </p>
<p>     Zuko nodded. "You rescued me." he said. </p>
<p>     Katara's heart warmed. "Yes." she said. "I rescued you." </p>
<p>     "I helped!" said Sokka, who was still rowing the boat. </p>
<p>     Katara giggled. "Sokka helped." </p>
<p>     "Will I ever bend again?" asked Zuko. </p>
<p>     Katara knew he was going to ask that, but it still saddened her. "Only the Avatar can remove someone's bending permanently." she said. "What they did to you was probably a combination of chi blocking and drugs. You should be able to bend soon." </p>
<p>     Zuko smiled. "Yay." he said genuinely but tiredly. </p>
<p>     "Yeah." she said. "I can't imagine life without bending." </p>
<p>     "Me neither." said Zuko. </p>
<p>     "I can!" interjected Sokka. Katara rolled her eyes. </p>
<p>     "I wanna go home." said Zuko. </p>
<p>     "That's exactly where we're going." said Katara. "Zuko, welcome back to the Fire Nation." </p>
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